We should thank Gov. Sisolak instead of criticizing him

By Perly ViasmenskyNormally, I don’t agree with Governor Steve Sisolak on anything, but I respect him as an elected official and as a human being. This time I believe he made the right decision, even though I believe he was put in a very difficult situation, and we all could see that he looked tired as he was concentrating on a decision that could affect the whole state. It showed that he was deeply concerned with all the people infected by a disease that not even experts seem to be able to combat and control.
It is not easy to stand in front of over 3,000 people and inform them that half the businesses in the state will be temporarily closed down.
One thing is for sure: we need to be grateful. He showed great interest in each and every one of us Nevadans.
On the other hand, very seldom do I disagree with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, but on this occasion I believe she erred big time by disagreeing with the decision of Governor Sisolak when she said, “We need to live our lives, support our families, but we can’t do that if we are continuously housebound, unable to work, including earning a living and providing for our families.”
Mayor Goodman forgot that this situation is not a simple cold with a running nose; it is not an epidemic that spreads over a wide area and many persons are taken ill. We are talking about a pandemic that affects the world and a significant number of the population becomes affected.
We all agree that we need to live our lives, earn a living and support our families, but if we get infected with this horrible virus and die, who is going to support our families and provide for them? The City of Las Vegas? A little sacrifice would benefit everyone.
What I don’t agree with the Governor on is to claim that among the essential businesses that can allow its employees to continue working is the stadium. I firmly believe that such a stadium is not going to be ready any time soon and players won’t be there in a week or two.
Regardless who the owners and investors are, they need to be treated like the rest of the citizens and their workers are not better than the rest of us.
What the State of Nevada, Clark County and the City of Las Vegas need to put emphasis on is how stores are speculating on the needs of the
citizens and are almost doubling the price of the few items they have left on their partially empty shelves.
It is not easy to be the governor of a state, trying to protect the health of its citizens and receiving nothing but critical comments for making difficult decisions. Florida Governor Ron De Santis, on the 20th of this month, ordered the close of all restaurants, bars, taverns, pubs, night clubs, banquet halls, cocktail lounges, cabarets, breweries, cafeterias, movie theaters, concert houses, playhouses, bowling alley gymnasiums, fitness studios and BEACHES, yes beaches— as potential gathering places for the spread of coronavirus. The counties of Broward and Palm Beach restricted access to venues and closed its beaches to public access due to the risk of community spread.
Florida tops 1,200 cases of confirmed infections. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends people maintain a distance of six feet apart and not gather in groups of 10 or more. Still, watching news from Florida we could see hundreds of people gathered at public beaches, shoulder to shoulder, ignoring recommendation from authorities. Several “dummies” were interviewed on camera coming out with the stupid remark, “We are young and need to live our lives.”
Right, don’t listen to anyone and see how long you will live your “young” life. I can understand how difficult it could have been for Governor Sisolak to close practically the whole state, but if he considered it necessary due to his interest in our health and well-being, we should
thank him for it instead of criticizing his well-intentioned decision.
Perly Viasmensky is the General Manager of the Las Vegas Tribune. She writes a weekly column in this newspaper. To contact Perly Viasmensky, email her at pviasmensky@lasvegas tribune.com.

City Council votes an abeyance of ordinance to jail developers
By Alexandra Cohen
De Oro Media Group
Las Vegas Tribune Exclusive
Tuesday the Las Vegas City Council Recommending Committee voted for an
abeyance on the controversial ordinance — Bill No. 2018-24 — sponsored
by City Councilman Steve Seroka, a councilman who is being sued in
Federal Court by developer Yohan Lowie for bias. This abeyance now
moves the bill to the September 4, 2018 Recommending Committee, then
to be heard by the full City Council on September 6.
The proposed bill will severally penalize developers with excessive
fines and jail time for not abiding by new standards. The bill is
opposed by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP),
The Latin Chamber of Commerce and Laborers Local 872, along with
others in the building and trades community. The bill NO.2018-24, also
known as the «Yohan Lowie bill,” is an ordinance to amend LVMC Title
19 (The Unified Development Code) to adopt additional standards and
requirements regarding the repurposing of certain golf courses and
open spaces.
The ordinance was met with strong position from those speaking at
today’s meeting. Tommy White, Secretary Treasurer of the Laborers
Local 872 said “this City Council is sending the wrong message to not
only the local building community, but to the entire nation. This is
simply government overreach.” Mr. White vowed to bring 600 of his
union members to the next meeting to protest the flawed ordinance.
Peter Guzman, President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, stated, “I
have received numerous calls from my members opposed to this
ordinance. This ordinance is contrary to our group’s philology and
focus of promoting commerce and growth in our community.” Todd Davis,
General Council, EHB Companies pointed out to the Recommending
Committee that “the Agenda states ‘NO FISCAL IMPACT,’ when clearly
there is a fiscal impact to taxpayers ranging from substantial legal
fees to defend the ordinance, to hundreds of millions of dollars if
the ordinance is found to be a taking.”
Councilwoman Michele Fiore publically and vehemently objected to the
ordinance in the July 18 council meeting and at times verbally sparred
with the bill sponsor, Councilman Seroka, citing that the ordinance
started as a 5-page ordinance and FAILED in the Las Vegas Planning
Commission by a 5 to 1 vote. Now, behind the scenes, it has been
expanded to a 13-page document and is being considered for approval.
Developer Yohan Lowie, stated, “this is typical of the corruption and
disingenuous acts of certain members of the city of Las Vegas who have
demonstrated for the past three years, and one of the reasons why I am
in litigation with Councilman Seroka and Bob Coffin for the animus
they continue to display. They are enacting a law to create criminal
penalties for the property no longer being a golf course and no longer
being green. All property owners should be concerned.” This bill may
be as far-reaching as to affect individual homeowners living in a golf
course community.
SECTION 7 in the bill states: Whenever in this ordinance any act is
prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful... the doing of such
prohibited act or the failure to do any such required act shall
constitute a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be
punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for a
term of not more than six months.
Mr. Lowie has hired famed criminal defense lawyer David Chesnoff to
represent his interests in possible forthcoming criminal offenses that
may arise from this bill. Additionally, along with attorney and Lt.
Governor Mark Hutchison the City has been put on notice through a
letter, which states the City will be in violation of the EX Post
Facto Clause and Equal Protection Clause and a Taking by Eminent
Domain.
After the July 18 city council meeting, developer Yohan Lowie stated,
“If they want to put me in jail, they can. I will fight to my last
breath to prevent the City from EVER taking my property away. I will
continue to fight this matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to
get justice.”